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My Second Visit to the Burgh

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One of the reasons why I even considered Tepper is the location. Last summer I stopped in Pittsburgh on the way home from a road trip. We were vacationing in the Outer Banks and unfortunately we were evacuated because of Hurricane Arthur. That gave us some extra time to explore on our journey home. We stopped in Pittsburgh for the day and fell in love with the city. Pittsburgh is comprised of different sections that all have a very different atmosphere. We started the day in the Strip District where we visited a large scale farmers market. We stopped by Penzeys Spices and Pittsburgh Popcorn-both must visit attractions if you are in the area. The weather was beautiful and we walked along the water. There was a Pirates Game going on that day. If you aren’t aware of it, two of Pittsburgh’s stadiums are located right on the waterfront which really adds to the experience. Across the bridge we spent some time in the SouthSide district. There’s a street that is lined with restaurants, bars, and stores. Before we left, we visited the financial district. That section is mostly filled with businesses and sure does create a great skyline.

Anyways back to the visit review. I had the opportunity to go back to Pittsburgh last weekend to interview. For this trip I had the pleasure of having some company with me. Pittsburgh is less than a 5 hour drive from Detroit so my mom decided to come with me. We drove in Sunday morning and explored the city for the day. The next day began with the interview. During my visit to Duke I scheduled my interview for the end of the day so I could absorb information about the program throughout the day and ensure I used a few buzz words throughout the interview. There are benefits to either approach. During the visit to Tepper I scheduled the interview first thing in the morning. It was certainly nice to have it over with and just enjoy the rest of the visit.

The interview was pretty typical. There were questions about my post MBA plans, why Tepper, and why I decided to pursue business school. The interviewer and admissions team were so welcoming and organized. They had a detailed welcome packet for me to review after the interview which provided information about Tepper and Pittsburgh as well. Some programs provide little information about the city and if you are not from the area, it’s nice to learn more about it.

After the interview I attended an informational session held by the admissions team. It was helpful to learn more about the curriculum. Tepper tries to prepare students for the future business world. The industry is always changing and business leaders need to be prepared for anything. Next I attended a student led tour and lunch. This is usually my favorite part of MBA visits. The current students provide a real perspective which allows you to get a better glimpse of the culture of the school. The student leader of my group was so helpful. He had a similar background and had moved to the area with a partner and a dog, both of which I will be doing. Part of my decision factor will be to determine what job opportunities there are for my partner. He works in corporate finance which provides him with a lot of options in big cities. Although I have not been admitted yet, it’s still always nice to be able to ask lifestyle questions and the student had all the answers. Last, I visited a Financial and Managerial Accounting class. Surprisingly the content didn’t go completely over my head, so that was encouraging. If you’re still reading, thank you. This was a long post! Needless to say, my visit to Tepper inspired me.